“SUPER BOWL LI”
Hysteria reigns in sports land! Oh, by the way, for those who did not make the most of math in high school, LI is 51. The annual event where the two top football teams butt heads for four hours, a half time show that captivates even the least interested, where millions of dollars are spent (A 30-second advertisement during this year’s game costs a cool $5 million. That’s an average of $166,666 per second) to get your attention and parties are thrown where drunkenness is very prevalent. Average price of a ticket to Super Bowl LI is $5,650.
Sorry employers but “The results suggest that one in 10 U.S. workers, or an estimated 16.5 million employed U.S. adults may miss work the day after Super Bowl 51 due to the game, with nearly 10.5 million Americans having already requested or plan to request the day off in advance.” In addition to that, many will show up late for work and many will drag through the day. “Drinking too much alcohol was also a key factor in unplanned absences, as 34 percent of people 21 and older admit to calling in sick on the Monday after the Super Bowl in years past because they were hungover, while 28 percent say a hangover caused them to be late.”
Churches are not exempt from the effects of the Super Bowl. Churches cancel evening services or have an abbreviated service. Those that do have evening services will have fewer in attendance than usual. One congregation brought in a big screen TV for the event and during half time had a devotional (bet the devotional didn’t say too much about not drinking beer, and isn’t that nice to give Jesus fifteen minutes?).
Am I excited about this Super Bowl? Yes, I am excited for The Atlanta Falcons and for the city of Atlanta. I have been keeping up with the playoffs and enjoyed them and will watch a part of the game. I am pulling for The Falcons. My prayer is, however, that Christians will get excited about Christianity.
Contrast that with this:
*When there is a baptism at morning worship people get up and leave. An extra fifteen minutes is just too long. I’ve got to get outta here.
*Are you kidding me, “Miss work to worship?”
*I will party for a ball game, tail gate, buy all kind of snacks but spend time with brethren at a pot luck. Who do you think I am?
*I will DVR the game but not a good program of preaching by our brethren to watch at a later time.
*I will talk about my team but not about Christ and the church.
Oh, by the way, I think I will skip out on Sunday Night For The Master so I can get home to see the half time show and the commercials (just kidding).
Larry